the Dragon of the Leaf: Sakura Eucliffe
by PantherLydi
Summary: The year is 777x, and the life of one Sakura Eucliffe is about to change. Watch out Konoha, tailed beasts are the least of your worries with a dragon running around. Saku!Multi! Starts at pre-Naruto
1. Prologue part I: a Flash

_**The Dragon of the Leaf:**_

_Sakura Eucliffe_

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_**Prologue**_

_**Part I**_

_A flash._

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**A/n: **_Hello there! So after spending so much time in reading all those awesome Naruto crossovers, I decided to write one of my own. This plot bunny just wouldn't leave my mind so I just had to write it down, so to start off, a bit of fair warning:_

_There might be some minor spoilers from the FT manga, so read with caution if you're not up to date! Nothing major, just a few appearances from the newest characters._

_The second thing I wanted to tell you all is that the timeline is pretty messed up considering the 7 year time skip in the far future and such, so there might be some confusions from time to time which I will try to explain._

_You probably know who Sakura is related to in this story by the title. I know it would be much more logical to have Natsu and Sakura as siblings, but I really wanted to make the story majestically long. I already have this story half written in my mind and I can't really imagine Sakura as a fire user. Besides, if you look at Sakura's parents, one is blonde and the other has blue eyes, it could be quite a logical possibility! ^^_

_I will try to keep the characters in character, but Sakura will be OOC because of the nature of the plot. She won't be some cold hearted, cliché, all mighty, godlike character thought. I was thinking of making her a combination of her own attitude and a bit like Sting's with character development. _

_The prologue will be in drabbles, but I promise it's only this chapter! The next chapter will take place during the start of Naruto._

_I will divide this story into two parts. One will be in the Narutoverse and the other in FT._

**Rating: **_**T** for slight language, violence and gore._

**Pairings: **_Oh Jeez. Harem for now, maybe? I already decided on the final pair thought, It's going to be a surprise~_

**Disclaimer: **_I don't really think that Kishi and Hiro would ever write on this site tbh.._

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_**F**_or Hiruzen Sarutobi, it was finally a peaceful day, or so he thought. Some problems still bothered the old man's mind. Like Uzumaki Naruto for example. The little brat was causing trouble again, he could feel it. Releasing the smoke from his lips, he glanced out of the window with a frown. He saw kids playing in the academy's playground. From little children, who kept clumsily tripping onto the ground, to the soon-to-graduate pre-teens that competed in self-made competitions.

All smiles and laughs, except one. The Hokage's brows furrowed further when he saw a group of kids approaching the spiky haired blonde on the swing. Sighing to himself, he took another drag from his pipe.

He always wanted to help the young prankster. Be it from the citizens or the shinobi, heck, from the children too. But alas, being the Hokage has its downfalls too. He glared menacingly at the stack of papers lying on the table, untouched. He once tried to even _adopt_ the boy, but those blasted teammates of his wouldn't allow him. Especially Danzo. He wanted to make Naruto a weapon, that much he could tell.

But even so, he couldn't be there for Naruto 24/7.

_If only Naruto had one, just __**one **__friend, things would be different. I am sure of that._

And just like a prayer to Kami, a bright flash of white light came from the clear blue sky. Hiruzen rubbed his wrinkled forehead.

He just _knew_ there couldn't be a single normal day in this village.

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_**I**_f it's one thing that Sasuke truly loved, it was piggybacks from his Nii-san. His mother found it very amusing, while his father. . . Not so much. Sasuke pouted at the thought. He knew that Itachi had made Chunnin when he was around his age already, while he was still an academy student. He had hoped that he would gain _some _form of admiration from his ever strict father when he learned the signature Uchiha jutsu.

But all he received was a frown of disappointment and the ever present comparison with Itachi.

He was not good enough.

He will _never _be good enough.

''What are you thinking about, Sasuke?'' A deep, calm voice asked the pouting boy when he noticed the unusual silence from his little brother. He never concealed his true feelings from him. He was giving him the silence treatment. Itachi sighed before grasping the little boy's legs and placed him comfortably unto his back. He heard Sasuke mumbling something under his breath and he chuckled.

It was their routine.

Every time, the elder would pick up his younger sibling from the academy, and then Sasuke would give him the cold shoulder. Itachi cursed himself for spoiling his otouto so much, but when he saw the little boy near tears, he just melts.

Sometimes, Itachi would be too busy, so he would apologise, and promise to pick him up next time.

This time was just that.

A sudden bright flash came from the sky, momentarily blinding the brothers. Sasuke squinted his eyes while Itachi slowly placed his brother on the ground. This could be an invasion, for all he knew. His point was proven right when a teenager emerge from thin air, clad in the traditional ANBU uniform.

''Itachi.'' The male greeted and Itachi nodded in return. He turned to his confused little brother and spared him a small smile. He flickered Sasuke on the forehead making the boy whine, knowing what that meant.

''Sorry, Sasuke.'' The elder spoke softly to the seething child before patting his head. ''Maybe next time.''

''You always say that!'' But the boy's protests were greeted by the wind.

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''_**Y**_ou can't just throw a _child_ in a cell!''

''You have no authority to make orders.''

''I agree, you can't just lock up a child, an _injured_ one for Hokage's sake!''

''Ladies, if you could just calm down, this might even be a trap for all we know.''

''Hokage-sama! You finally came!''

Chaos. That was the only word that could describe the state of the Local Konoha Hospital. Not ten minutes earlier, a squad of elite ANBU came in, carrying a child with them.

A pink haired girl at that.

Medic-nin ran around left and right, examining the small girl that lay hospitalized on the not-so-comfy hospital bed. They predicted a few broken ribs, a broken arm and a concussion. Matters got worse when the present shinobi demanded the child thrown into a cell till further notice. The medics knew what the precautions were for.

This whole situation seemed just off.

But still, this was an injured child they were talking about.

So they reached a decision to call out the Hokage himself to solve this matter.

Once the elderly man came into the room, everyone went quiet almost immediately. The respect and authority oozing off the Hokage was enough to momentarily stop the chaos in the room. Placing his trademark pipe between his lips, he studied the girl, who couldn't be older than 7 or 8.

She wore tattered clothes, meaning she didn't have the most luxurious life in the world. A single earring dangled from her right ear that was almost ripped off. The man made a face when he saw the rest of the damage. Who would do this kind of thing to a poor defenceless child? He examined the girls face and noticed that tears were streaming down her cheeks.

Now, if this was under different circumstances, nobody would view it as weird. In a world like this, children had to fight to survive.

But this girl…

She just appeared, out of thin air.

The ANBU double checked the pink haired girl for any explosives before bringing her here, but this whole situation was fishy. Either this girl was transported here on purpose, or she did it on her own.

For her sake, the former.

''Hokage-sama…'' One of the present ANBU broke the silence. The elder man raised a wrinkled hand into the air.

''Tell me, was the girl checked for any signs of offensive weapons?'' Hiruzen asked. A man with gravity defiant silver hair stepped forward.

''Yes Hokage-sama, all clear.'' He spoke in a bored tone, like he faced with mystical pink haired girls falling out of the sky every day. The Hokage nodded and turned around to leave, not uttering any more words.

''Hokage-sama?'' A male with a long pony tailed addressed. ''What should we do with her?'' He asked curiously while glancing at the young girl who was sleeping soundlessly.

''Leave her to the healers, when she wakes up, send her to me.'' And with that, the Hokage walked out while the ANBU shared curious glances.

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_**I**_n all honesty, Eucliffe Sakura was afraid of sunsets. It was a time when the bright welcoming sun set, and the moon and stars took her place. She was afraid of the dark, yes.

Don't all little kids have a silly fear like that? Usually.

So waking up in an unfamiliar place, with the last ray of sunlight sent shivers down the young girl's spine. Disoriented, she tried to recall what happened before she woke up in a strange room. She remembered her brother mentioning a place called a 'hospital' where they treat the sick. That would explain the bandages.

But what exactly caused them?

It all happened in a blur.

A minute.

A second.

The little girl scratched her cheek in a nervous habit before flinching away as pain shot through her face. She clenched the bed sheet with her small hands and whimpered as the painful memories of the day before rushed through her mind.

The year was X777

07-07

And on this day, which was supposed to be one of the happiest days of her life,

Everything _changed._

A hoarse screech echoed though the half empty hospital walls, before everything went black.

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_**T**_he next time Sakura awoke, it was already past sunrise. She tried to move her hands, but her whole body was numb. She doubted if she could move her toes normally.

What happened? Oh.

That's right.

Silent sobs sounded through the infirmary as Sakura wiped her cheeks with the palm of her uninjured hand. She felt numb, inside out. Never had she experienced such a negative feeling before, it was surreal. All she wanted now was to go home.

To her family. Her home.

But now, she doubted that will happen ever again.

She lost everything, in a flash.

She felt the lump in her throat becoming unbearable again and just as she was about to fall into another depressed state, a 'poof' went through the room. She gasped silently as her eyes widened until her eyelids felt sore. She slowly backed away, hitting the bedframe.

Hatake Kakashi observed the young girl while tilting his head to the side. Clearly, the emerald eyed girl was in an emotional state judging from the puffy eyes and dried tear marks. Raising his hand up, he gave a slight wave.

''Yo''

'_Thump'_

The copy-nin blinked slowly as he glanced down at the hard hospital pillow sprawled over the floor. Looking up, he noticed the little girl grabbing another pillow, all the while ignoring the burning pain in her muscles.

''Where's my aniki? Where's daddy?'' She screamed at him before aiming another pillow at his face. Kakashi easily sidestepped before sighing. He had no experience with over emotional children so he did the next best thing that popped into his mind.

Flashing a few hand signs, he noticed her emerald orbs glaze over. He shook his head lightly, before jumping onto the window still. The genjutsu will wear off by the time he alerted the Hokage that their little visitor was now awake.

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''**_Y_**ou said your name was Eucliffe Sakura, am I correct?'' The old man behind the desk had to make sure. He glanced at the lifeless shell of a girl, who nodded her head weakly. On both her sides, ANBU stood bearing their full uniformed glory, which seemed to make the pinkette more uncomfortable than she already is. Waving his hand lightly, the two men disappeared in a puff of smoke making the little girl jump in wonder.

It's as if she had never seen shinobi before.

''Where are you from?'' He started with a basic question. The girl scratched her ear before her eyes lit up.

''Fiore!'' She exclaimed in a seemingly happy voice. The Hokage blinked slowly, slightly confused at the little one's burst of happiness.

She must really miss her home.

Too bad Sarutobi hasn't heard about this place she spoke of in his whole life.

''Are you sure?'' He asked, voice laced with uncertainty. The pinkette bobbed her head shyly, but happily.

''Yeah! That place is wonderful Oji-san! It has dragons and magic and wizards and magic and dragons- oh! And guilds!'' The tiny girl proclaimed happily. Hiruzen tilted his head to the side. Well that information was certainly useful.

''Sakura-chan, are you certain?'' He asked once again.

But she nodded her head firmly.

Either this child was as delusional as any other 8 year old, or the enemy brainwashed her to make her believe otherwise. Knitting his fingers together, he signalled for the guarding shinobi to bring in the man behind his office door.

A man with long dirty blonde hair entered before bowing in respect to his Leader. Sakura watched on in wonder. Was this old man really that special?

''Hokage-sama.'' He greeted. ''You asked for my presence?'' He asked in slight coriousity.

''Ah Inoichi!'' The Hokage acknowledged before gesturing to the empty seat next to Sakura. The Yamanaka head spared the little girl a warm smile before shifting his gaze to Hiruzen. He knew exactly why he was here at that moment.

Sakura looked between the two men and bit her bottom lip; she hoped she could go home soon. These strangers might help her return, even though her aniki thought her not to speak with strangers. Suddenly a hand patted her head and she jumped slightly, startled. Looking up with emerald slitted eyes, she noticed that the old man has stood up and was now standing behind her.

Patting her head, that was enough of a signal for the Yamanaka to know what to do.

Standing up also, Inoichi extended his hand for her to shake which she grasped hesitantly.

''My name is Yamanaka Inoichi, Captain of the Intelligence Division.'' He introduced himself, all the while noticing the confused glint in her eyes. ''Eucliffe Sakura.'' She said back in a tiny voice

''Do you want to go home?'' He asked softly as Sakura shifted her gaze to meet his eyes before nodding her head with a bright smile on her face.

''Then let me help you okay?'' It took her a minute to agree to the offer, before Inoichi placed his hand onto her head. Sarutobi stepped behind the tall blonde male, placing his pipe in-between his lips. Sakura's face transformed into a grimace as the smoke got into her over sensitive nose. She sneezed lightly, before a soothing feeling spread though her head in a relaxing matter. She let out a tiny breath before letting her body slip into momentary sleep.

''What next, Hokage-sama?'' Inoichi questioned.

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**_T_**he green scenery could really be mistaken as the thick forest surrounding the Fire Country. Walking down a narrow path, Inoichi send out chakra pulses, looking for the little pink haired girl. Strangely, he couldn't feel any sign of chakra signals around him. Frowning, he stepped into a clearing before smiling slightly at the sight.

It was obviously the pinkette, and judging by her clothing, this happened in the near past. She was plucking various flowers untastefully, making the blonde frown. Owning a flower shop really was getting to him. Suddenly, a flash of light blonde tackled the little girl onto the carpet of various flowers. All he was able to do was watch and listen as the little girl squealed in surprise.

''-Sting-nii-san!'' Was the first thing he heard as he came closer to the pair.

Pair of siblings it would seem.

The little boy who was maybe around 10 gave her a toothy grin and Inoichi could finally see the resemblance between the two, as Sakura gave a matching smile of her own.

''Now Saku-chan~ be patient and you'll get your present soon~'' The boy teased his sister as Sakura pouted at him. He chuckled before placing his palm over her emerald eyes. Sakura covered her eyes with her own small hands before rocking on the balls of her feet. Suddenly she yelped when she felt a light nib on her earlobe. Shooting her eyes open, she saw her brother grinning down at her, an earring missing from his right ear. Sakura felt the injured place with her fingertips gingerly, before crying out in joy.

''Thank you, thank you, thank you!'' She wrapped her arms around the boy's waist, receiving a pat on her head. Drawing back, she looked up at her brother. ''But.. These are the earrings daddy gave you, are you sure it's okay for me to..'' She trailed off as she looked down guilty. Sting gave her an amused look before pinching her cheek, receiving a whine.

''Well if we don't return soon, he'll surely be mad.'' Sting stated before releasing his younger sister from his grip. ''Race ya.'' He challenged before pinching the bridge of her nose. Sakura gasped, before stumbling to catch up to the sprinting blonde.

''No fair! You cheated!''

''You're just slow!'' He called back before laughing loudly, not slowing down even once. ''Happy Birthday Sakura-chan!''

And the scene changed right before the Yamanaka's eyes.

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**_T_**he beautiful green shades changed into an angry red color as the sun set.

As the orange sky painted a lovely purple, a pained roar echoed though the once peaceful valley. Inoichi was startled at first, as he floated above yet another clearing, which he regretted almost immediately. A white creature spread its huge scaled wings, knocking down the surrounding trees in the process.

The blonde was tempted to release his mind reading jutsu then and there.

It looked like one of those ancient sketches of the creatures called 'dragons' - the ones who rivaled even the tailed beasts in power and monstrosity. As far as the legend goes, he supposed. Cold sweat went through his body. Its long white tail swiped straight thought his projection, and he momentarily forgot how to breathe.

Turning around, he realized that the white beast was at a dying point when it fell lifelessly onto the ground, causing a small earthquake. Scanning his body, he tried to pin point the location where it was injured. He noticed a silhouette of a man by the tail, but paid no mind when he saw a flash of blonde.

Levitating to the ground, he gasped when he saw the little boy from before lying motionless on the cold forest floor. His heart clenched when he saw the little pink haired girl clenching the boy's shirt in hopes that he wakes up.

He remained quiet as he let the scene sink in, before he heard soft footsteps behind him. Looking back, he saw the same silhouette from before emerging behind the giant corpse of the beast. The man had majestically long pitch black hair that was slightly curled on a few places. He held an ancient looking book as he stalked towards the Eucliffe siblings.

Strangely, he looked straight at Inoichi before stomping the last steps.

''And you two pathetic brats call yourselves dragon slayers?'' He questioned in a calm tone. Even though his face held a stoic look, you could practically hear the sneer in his voice. Kneeling down, he brushed his fingertips onto the girl's cheek, earning a shriek as the blood of her father made contact with her skin.

Grasping her chin harshly, he forcefully made eye contact with Sakura, who gave him a tearful glare. A cruel smirk crossed his face and the Yamanaka Head wished he could do something physical in his current state.

But alas he couldn't.

''This, right here, is what earns you the title of a true dragon slayer.'' He continued to paint her cheek with the blood of the dragon, and all Sakura could do was quiver in paralyzing fear.

''Please.'' She whimpered helplessly as the man aimed a punch straight to her chest. The little girl tried to block the strike, but she could only release a harsh yelp as she felt the bones in her arm break and split. Standing up to his full height, he aimed another unmerciful kick at the blonde's head. Surely that would be the finishing blow to the poor boy.

Time seemed to stand still as the evil man lifted up his foot.

Is this the end?

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''NO!'' Was the final thing he heard before a bright flash surrounded everything, seemingly hitting the girl before everything went black.

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**_H_**iruzen gazed at the two other people occupying the room. Whatever was happening in the little girl's head was not good. Even he could tell. If the occasional groans and yelps were any indication, then he didn't know what was. Rubbing his wrinkled forehead, he looked at the clock.

Almost 3 hours have already past.

He was starting to think they will never wake up at this point-

He spoke too soon.

As quick as lighting, the two jumped back from each other in a sweaty heap. The girl looked unaffected, probably because she had a hard time remembering while Inoichi-

''Hokage-sama, can we talk?''

He knew this would be a long day.


	2. Prologue part II: a Bond

_**The Dragon of the Leaf:**_

_Sakura Eucliffe_

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_**Prologue**_

_**Part II**_

_A bond._

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_**S**_akura swung her frail little legs up and down in boredom. She stared out of the massive window, without the amazement she felt an hour ago. The long haired man, who did something to her before, led her out to the waiting room for some privacy with the old man. But Sakura didn't mind, she was still disoriented from this morning. The secretary at the reception desk kept glancing at the tattered pinkette with a mixed of pity and wariness. The little girl turned down the urge to scowl at her.

Why were these people looking at her like she was some winged fish or something?

It made her feel more self-conscious then she already was. Playing with her fingers in a nervous habit, she proceeded to look out the window, trying to avoid the burning gazes directed straight at her. Her slitted emerald green eyes shone in wonder as she saw uniformed men and women jumping from one rooftop to another. She didn't know that wizards could do that, so it came to no surprise that she wanted to learn to do things like that.

She remembered, with hollowness, when her older brother jumped from a high tree branch, expecting to fly away like his foster father could. That resulted with his bone cracking in several different places, but Sting believed, that it was one step closer to flight. Sakura used to laugh at the memory of her cheeky brother, but now it just caused her heart to clench.

Was it really the last time she saw him? Alive and well?

The unknowing factor sent the welled up tears spilling down her rosy cheeks. With her heightened senses, she could make out the hushed whispers of the two men in the office, as Yamanaka-san retold the gory details of her arrival. Sniffs and hiccups flew out of her mouth unconditionally just as the Yamanaka stepped out of the office. He froze, looking at the crying girl awkwardly. He never had to deal with Ino crying, that was his wife's job.

Now he regretted it.

''Err..Sakura-san?'' He called out gently, speaking like he was dealing with a frightened wild animal. And she was, in a way. He still couldn't put two and two together of what he saw, because the images were confusing. The important factor was dealt with, however. The girl wasn't here for offensive intentions to the village, and that's what matters the most. Well, to the elders at least.

Inoichi felt genuinely sorrowful for the young girl.

That's why he made this decision in the first place.

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_**T**_he girl fidgeted in her seat as she sat in the large office once more, this time facing the old man. Even with his wrinkled face pulled up into a gentle smile, Sakura was still uneasy. She understood now, that she might be far _far_ away from her home, due to the difference in the ecosystem around her. These kinds of trees didn't grow anywhere near Clover town in which she and her family resided, and the climate was slightly cooler than the usual heat waves in Fiore during mid-summer. Not only that, there was absolutely no magic in the environment whatsoever. She felt like a fish out of water, breathing in oxygen. It felt simply polluted without the freshness of magic in the air.

All in all, she didn't understand heads or tails to her current condition. Where would she go now? What was she going to do without Sting-nii-san by her side? That thought scared her even more.

She was all alone now.

She'll have to fend off for herself, find shelter, and just plainly survive on her own. Her bottom lip quivered tearfully, but she bit on it lightly, preventing the undeniable sob to come out of her throat. Hiruzen, seeing the child's struggles, cleared his throat.

''Sakura-chan, how are you feeling right now?'' He asked a simple question to start by. Inoichi stepped behind his chair, staring knowingly at the young girl in front of him. He knew of the hardships she faced not a day ago, and he decided that it was quite too soon to talk about this with an emotional child. But time proved to be short and they had to be quick.

''F-Fine.'' Sakura stuttered, with a shy glance at the two men. The Hokage gave her a warm smile, tangling his fingers together while placing his chin on his hands. ''Now, how are you really feeling?'' He asked, traces of the previous smile gone from his face. Sakura gulped nervously, almost uncomfortably.

''Not so well..'' She trailed off, rubbing the gleaming piercing on her ear. The blonde noticed that, and patted his leader's shoulder, indicating not to go further onto this matter. Sarutobi sighed tiredly.

''Do you know where you currently are?'' He asked. Now, if he'd ask this question to another person, they'd think he was going out of his mind, but this was not the case. Sakura continued to fidget on her seat, looking anywhere but her authority.

''Not really.'' She admitted quietly, with a blush blooming on her face. The Hokage stared for a moment, trying to decide if she was lying or not. Although, he had solid evidence that in fact she was telling the truth.

''We are in Konohagakure, the heart of the Fire Country.'' He told her, expecting for a sign of realization to cross her features.

But all he got was a small tilt of her head, and a wide confused gaze.

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''Do you know where your family is from?'' He asked once more, rubbing his temples softly. This will take some time he was sure. Sakura thought for a moment, the density and innocence of a child shining in her eyes.

''My Nii-san and I are from Clover town.'' She paused slightly, a sad smile gracing her face at the mention of her deceased brother. ''and Weisslogia-otou-san is from err.. I don't really know.'' She shrunk into the wooden seat, embarrassed at her lousy answer, which made her think herself. She actually knew quite little about the majestic white dragon that raised her and her sibling as its own.

''Weisslogia? That's a strange name.'' The old man observed, trying to ease the little girl a little, which brought a protective glint in her eyes.

''He's the great white dragon Weisslogia! Any other name would sound lame.'' She defended with a childish whine, seemingly used to this topic. Hiruzen stared at the girl and didn't know what to think anymore. He knew that she was actually telling the truth, that these beasts called 'dragons' actually exist, but it was mind blowing nonetheless. A quick glance at the Yamanaka told him that he was equally surprised at the revelation that such a powerful beast actually raised her up.

Her, a simple human girl.

Was raised by something that could undeniable be as strong as a tailed beast.

The council should never find out about this.

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**_I_**t was already afternoon when the 'interrogation' stopped for one Sakura Eucliffe. In about an hour, she got comfortable with the two adults which didn't seem to mean her harm, lowering her defences completely. Although, one '_small'_ detail made her pout just by thinking of it.

It was by the time when she gave the two a simple 101 of her abilities, figuring they should understand. Oh, how wrong she was. It would seem, magic didn't exist in this place called the 'Elemental Nations', instead they had a thing called 'chakra'. Sakura pouted even more at the next words which were spoken to her.

'_Sakura-chan, please promise me you will not, under any circumstances, use these abilities out in the open_.'

After that little comment, she was not pleased at all. She had spent her whole life learning the hard art of dragon slaying, and now they were stealing her right to use her prowess in front of everyone? Injustice. But Sakura looked down guiltily as Hiruzen continued to display reason behind it.

'_Times are dark; people might want to take advantage of you while you are young. Please refrain from telling anyone of the things we spoke about today. It's for your own safety.' _He must've thought that she would not understand the consequences of the outcome if she was to tell somebody, but she knew. She and Sting only let themselves use their magic when they knew Weisslogia wasn't far, that they were safe.

From the Magic Council.

And from the dark guilds.

And after yesterday, she knew full heartedly what was at stake.

''I promise.'' She said, her eyes shining with sincerity. Hiruzen smiled at that, knowing that she was safe, for now.

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**_S_**he watched curiously, as the man's long hair swayed with the summer air. They were walking somewhere, but she figured it was to his home.

Her new home.

For security reasons, Inoichi Yamanaka volunteered to adopt Sakura Eucliffe as his own, pledging that he will keep their inter-dimensional guest's secret from the world.

They had come to the conclusion, when every single map didn't make sense to the young child that she might not even be from this dimension after all. Inter-dimensional travel was very rare, but not unheard of. Several Uchiha in history had achieved this feat, but the clans name felt bitter on Hiruzen's tongue, as he realised what was to become of the powerful and ancient clan in the near future.

Still, if the elders, mainly Danzo, catch wind of Sakura's background, this may become complicated very fast. So the only other option which was available in their current situation was to keep it a secret. A few ANBU, and several ROOT members knew of the mysterious appearance of the girl, but only Inoichi and Hiruzen knew the unbelievable truth.

This meant, the elders might want to make an audience with this girl in person. This was bad, very bad. The countless demonstrations of white magic circles across the office just proved his statement. Sakura Eucliffe was a valuable asset to the shinobi world. Even though she stated that she couldn't teach shinobi this new kind of power, she herself was a true weapon.

That could fall into Danzo's hands, if they didn't play their cards right.

It was safe to say that Sakura couldn't go to a normal orphanage, risking the ANBU to record her every single move. This left the only other option to make her stay at the Sarutobi or Yamanaka compound, which Inoichi agreed on the latter full heartedly. It would seem the blue eyed man had develop quite a soft spot for the young girl, and experiencing her reasons of being here first handily, it was safe to say that it couldn't have worked out any other way. Hiruzen smiled fondly at the pair, who left his office, the polite goodbyes still echoing in his ears.

He grabbed his pipe from the drawer, once again looking down at his village. He traced his eyes through the playground of the academy, spying the bright yellow and dark blue in the middle of a small circle.

Yes, it would seem he has decided how to form one graduating team already.

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_**A**_ll through dinner, Inoichi could feel the subtle death glares heading his way, but he tried to ignore it with an awkward laugh. His wife didn't seem to be that pleased with the new edition to their small family, but he was sure she's starting warm up to the girl. His daughter on the other hand…

''So what's up with that oversized forehead?'' The blonde girl asked, more like mocked in a snobby voice. Both adults quickly shushed their daughter, who flushed either from anger or embarrassment. The couple waited patiently for the pinkette's negative reaction, but Sakura just shrugged her shoulders.

''I guess I was born with it, but onii-chan said it suits me so I'm not bothered by it.'' The girl continued to eat, with childish obliviousness painted all over her face. The blonde haired man noted her undeniably large appetite, and guessed it was either that she has been starving for a while, or it was just normal for her. Glancing at his wife, he smiled when he noticed the soft spark in her light brown eyes. He had informed her beforehand about the girl's tragic situation, which seemed to make the brown haired woman warm up to the pinkette faster.

''So where is your 'onii-chan' then?'' Ino question rudely, which made the other girl slump in her seat slightly.

''Ino! That's enough, go to your room!'' Inoichi barked in disbelief, not able to comprehend how his daughter could talk to someone like that. Mrs. Yamanaka nodded in agreement, while Ino looked at her slippers.

''It's not fair!'' She burst out. ''How come she has to live with us? Aren't I your daughter?'' She pointed at Sakura this time, who looked guiltily down to her hands. ''Why are you favoring her over me?'' She screeched before running up to her room upstairs.

An awkward silence hung in the air after that, and Inoichi was at loss of words. He didn't even know how to react to that, because he didn't expect such a reaction from his child. Does she think that if she had a new sister that they would love her less? Not to mention that she seemed to loathe Sakura too. He rubbed his temples.

This was going to be complicated.

''U-um..'' The blonde looked at Sakura, and noticed her bottom lip quivering dangerously. ''Please excuse me.'' She quickly stood up and rushed to the bathroom. The parents looked at each other before sighing similarly.

Yes, very complicated.

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**_I_**no stared at the pink haired stranger's tiny form. Or should she say **step-sister's**. The word itself caused a nauseous feeling to creep within her. She didn't understand why this girl had to live with them, eat with them, and sleep with them. It was just so wrong in the blonde's eyes.

She invaded her family, even stole a part of her room, and now she was going to join the academy with her. It was just not fair; she was stealing her life little by little. But Ino did notice some things.

Late at night, when the other girl thought Ino was deep in sleep, quiet sobs echoed through the room every night for the past week. The blonde was actually quite curious of why little miss forehead cried so often, but she never considered asking or even comforting the other.

Until tonight.

''Sting-nii-chan..'' Sakura whimpered in her sleep, the light from the glowing moon illuminating her tear-stricken face. It seemed to make her glow with unspeakable power too. Ino huffed, before pulling off the covers. She walked silently towards the mattress with the other girl on it and crossed her arms. This will just not do.

''Oi forehead, wake up!'' She kicked her cocooned back lightly as Sakura stirred in her sleep. Emerald green eyes cracked open slightly, and the pinkette jumped lightly, startled by the blonde girl hovering above her with a glare. She bit her lip nervously, wondering what the girl wanted from her at this unholy hour.

''I-Ino?'' She questioned, blinking slowly. Said blonde crouched down to Sakura's eyelevel with a frown.

''Why are you crying every night? It's completely annoying.'' She voiced out her unsatisfactions as Sakura balanced herself on her elbows, looking down. Ino could see her bottom lip quivering, a sigh that the other was about to cry.

''I-I guess I just miss my home.'' She answered quietly. Ino stared the other's eyes. She never wanted to place herself in her shoes, but now she gave real thought to the situation. Her father told her that she recently lost her family and somehow wound up in the Leaf, but she carelessly shrugged it off. Regret and guilt washed over her in waves. She had been clouded with jealousy for the way her parents gave her slightly more attention than to her and completely put off the other's desperate need for family and friends.

She felt slightly disgusted with herself.

''Wait here.'' She ordered after breaking the awkward silence hanging above them. Sakura nodded, not even sparing a glance at the older girl. She rubbed the smooth surface of her earring, which seemed to give her energy. She heard the slight creaking of the fairly old wooden planks as Ino snooped her way through the living room. Smiling slightly, she was glad that she could still use her heightened senses because there were things that she wasn't able to control.

She was so lost in her train of thoughts that she didn't even noticed Ino returning with a book in hand.

''Okay how about this.'' The blonde held up the plain book, which seemed to be nothing special at first glance. Sakura tilted her head in confusion.

''What's that?'' She questioned as Ino puffed out her cheeks in amusement.

''It's a photobook, here.'' She handed the photobook to Sakura who grasped the book warily. Opening the book, she blinked slowly as she came face to face with strange blank faces with transparent pockets attached.

''What am I supposed to do with this?'' She asked. Ino stuck her tongue out before plopping down beside her. She tangled her fingers behind her head and stared into nothingness.

''Well you did mention you missed your home right? So this way you can save some memories of the people you meet here, so you won't forget them once you get back to. . err– wherever you're from.'' For the first time the two have met, Ino gave the pinkette a honest smile. Sakura looked back at the empty photobook, while her fragile shoulders began to shake. Ino looked at her curiously, as Sakura gave her a teary smile.

''Thank you so much, Ino.'' She sincerely felt thankful and Sakura could swear that this was the start of a beautiful bond.

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_**A**_s the classes dragged on, Sakura started to notice the difference in the two worlds she resided in. The history was all messed up, unheard of even. There were no mentions of mages or even magic in this dimension's timeline. She went to the library a few times to find anything partly familiar to her, but the only thing that was slightly similar were the beings called the tailed beasts.

Sakura frowned lightly as she read on, placing the textbook onto the book she wasn't supposed to read during classes. Her new sensei seemed to glance at her a few times, and Sakura knew he was slightly suspicious. She felt multiple pokes to her side as the blonde haired boy sitting beside her tried to pry her attention away from the book, but she paid no mind. She was so engrossed into the words printed onto the yellowed pages that she didn't hear the brown haired teacher call her name out several times.

''Miss Eucliffe!'' He shouted, making Sakura jump slightly. She flushed in embarrassment as several other ninja trainees snickered at her. She glanced at her sensei who had his arms crossed with an angry expression on his scarred face.

''Hai Iruka-sensei?'' She sweated lightly when he sighed in disappointment.

''I asked you what event took place roughly a century ago, everyone should know an answer to this.'' Yes, everyone knew, except her. She pondered on the answer, dates and events mixing within her brain.

''Umm.. Zeref's reign?'' As soon as the words left her mouth, she slapped her hand onto her mouth. Everyone stared at her at this point, even the boy with the dark hair. Some of the kids thought she was crazy while others thought she was just joking around. Iruka seemed to be leaning on the latter assumption.

''Do you think this is funny?'' He exploded and Sakura just sweat dropped, leaning more and more into her seat.

This seemed to happen quite often. 2 months have passed since she entered the academy, and some people automatically hated her guts. A group of girls tried to bully her for her forehead, but she brushed them off, not really caring about their useless opinion anyway. As long as she had at least one friend, she didn't mind having a few loathsome people onto her tail.

This led her to another sticky situation. A new friend of hers, Uzumaki Naruto, seemed to be a notorious troublemaker, which automatically labelled her that as well. Iruka-sensei seemed to question her and the blonde unnecessary hard questions as payback for crimes she did not commit –well, unnecessary hard to her that is. Every other student seemed to grasp the basics of the shinobi history, while this didn't seem to click to her just yet. Other basic subjects seemed to go as a breeze to Sakura, but she was almost certain she was a so called ''paper ninja''.

Her chakra reserves were mediocre at best, but at least her genjutsu was pretty good. Taijutsu was another thing all together. The way her peers were taught in the art of battle was almost a light year away difference from her fighting style. She was used to using her hands as claws, but with her magic restriction, that wasn't very effective anymore. Still, she had exceptionally good stamina and strength, so she could hold her own against almost all students.

Every passing day, she pondered if she should even become a full fledge shinobi in the first place. Sneak attacks and ninjutsu were really not her thing, and she doubted that it would ever be. Sensei even noted that her chakra reserves were below the average of a low rank genin, and it might not expand in time for her graduation.

But Eucliffe Sakura was no quitter. She had to become stronger if she ever wanted to get back home, where she truly belong, and if it meant that the only way to do that was to become a shinobi, so be it. Jumping off of her newly received bed, she walked to the living room which was currently occupied by the Yamanaka's main household.

''Could you teach me history?'' She requested nervously while rubbing the back of her neck. Through all this time she spent with her new family, she finally started to feel as if she belonged. But an invisible barrier that she built in order to not get too close to these people still stood strong and proud.

Inoichi smiled as Ino shook her head before grasping the other girl's hand. They seemed to be starting to get along quite nicely.

''C'mon forehead, we need to fill up that oversized head of yours with useful information, or you'll never become a shinobi at this rate.''

Yes, '**quite'** nicely.

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_**A/N:**_

**sexyblossom08**: yup, every dragon slayer has sharpened senses, so Sakura has these abilities also by default.

**Suzululu4moe: **Heh, Sakura sure loves her blondies huh? ;)

**XxRedRibbonsBlackLacexX: **This fanfic will be split into two parts, the first one will be this one in the Narutoverse, and I'm sure that I won't go in depth with Naruto: Shippuden, and the second part will be in Fairy Tail universe! ^^ I just hope that I won't lose inspiration to finish this story…

To everyone else who reviewed, faved and fallowed, thank you very much!


	3. Prologue part III: a Loss

**The Dragon of the Leaf:**

_Sakura Eucliffe_

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_**Prologue**_

_**Part III**_

_A loss._

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''_**I**_ could honestly say that you're the worst ninja I have ever seen.''

''Stop it, Shisui-nii.'' Green foam eyes glared up at charcoal ones which shined with nervousness. The pair's arguments melded with the light buzz of the busy streets of Konoha, the sky already painting with red and orange hues.

Sakura kicked a pebble that got in her way, shoulders slumped in defeat. She knew that her Shurikenjutsu was unpolished, no scratch that, non-existent, but that still didn't give the right for the teen to make fun of her pathetic attempts.

At least she was trying.

The Uchiha awkwardly petted the young girl's pink head, biting his lower lip to prevent himself from babbling something further. He didn't mean to offend his small pinkette companion - it just sort of slipped out from his lips after another not so successful attempt at training. Recently, she asked him to help her train her skills, which made him receive a slightly disapproving glance from his quiet best friend, but he brushed it off.

It had been nearly six months since their first unofficial meeting when Shisui's ANBU team retrieved her and the two have grown rather close. Shisui - being the doubtfully good new brother figure to Sakura - would always spend time with her every chance he got after her classes at the academy. He'd usually take her out for lunch or help her with techniques, which unfortunately led to raging outburst and frustration.

Like now.

''No but seriously, I don't get it. You have lower chakra reserves then a civilian baby.''

''Well, sorry that I'm not a protégé genius like _**someone**_.''

''Are you trying to imply something?''

''I'm just saying that you-'' The pinkette bit her lip when she heard a raged yell just around the corner. Looking at the teenage Uchiha for confirmation, Shisui ushered her to step forwards. Peering around the brown fence, Sakura swallowed down the growl tearing out from her throat at the sight.

The first thing she noticed were the towering adults that surrounded a small curled up boy, who rested his back on the wooden planks behind him. What ticked, yet shocked her the most, was the familiar spiky bright blonde hair sticking out from the crowd. Gulping down her nerves, she clenched her tiny hands into balls and was ready to give the people a peace of her mind until she felt her friend's firm grip rest on her shoulder. Looking back, she gave a soft defeated glare when she saw him shaking his head.

She could only watch in anguish as her blonde, ramen loving friend got sneered and spat at from fully grown adults. Never had she thought that the playground bullying from her classmates were the least of Naruto's problems. The little girl was washed with a sense of nostalgia when the grownups voiced out their negativity with him becoming a ninja. It took her back to almost 5 months prior when she first met him.

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''**W**_hy are you even trying? It's not like you're gonna succeed in the first place!''_

''_My mom said that people like him should never become shinobi, he should just go home.''_

_Scratching her left ear lightly, the pink haired girl's face turned into an angry frown. Her step-sister tilted her head to the side, asking if something was wrong. Sakura gave a nervous laugh before muttering a quick ''nothing'' to the blonde, who gave her another suspicion lingering look before returning to her previous conversation with one of their classmates._

_The young dragon slayer crossed her arms, while glancing back at the lone swing which was occupied by a single blonde boy. Some of the other kids stood not too far away from him, wearing matching smirks on their faces as they - not too subtly she may add - tried to shatter the blue eyed boy's resolve to become a full-fledged ninja. _

_Even with the other children bullying the blonde, she could literally see the raw determination shining in his sapphire eyes from where she stood._

_The determination to never give up._

_The small pinkette stared at him with admiration, before excusing herself from the small circle of Ino's friends. The pupil-ess blonde raised a delicate eyebrow in question, but her step-sister just brushed her off._

_Sakura didn't know what compelled her to go to that certain lone swing with the single blonde boy, but it just felt like a strong gut feeling, pulling her towards the other. The boy, as if feeling that someone was coming near him, raised his sapphire blue eyes to look at her approaching form. She could literally smell the distrust and loneliness coming off of him, with the distant fragment of ramen noodles and wild forest foxes._

_She could hear the hushed whispers of the other kids, but tried to pay them no mind. She placed the friendliest smile she could muster up onto her slightly chubby face, and walked the final steps towards the swing, before flopping down on the fresh grass in front of the boy. He stared at her for a moment, as if he was at loss of words. He looked lost and Sakura figured she should state her intentions clear._

''_Don't listen to those other kids, I'm sure you'll make an awesome ninja!'' She exclaimed with a bright, reassuring smile and soon enough, the blonde matched her optimistic grin._

''_I'm Eucliffe Sakura, what's your name?'' She asked curiously, with a childish tilt of her head, letting the single earring glister in the sunlight of the afternoon. The boy blinked, as if being asked that question for the first time._

_Sakura hoped that her assumption was false._

''_I'm Uzumaki Naruto, dattebeyo!'' He stated proudly, kicking his feet onto the patches of torn out grass. His toothy grin shone every time his swinging form reached the lighted area and Sakura returned the smile._

_She liked bright things after all._

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_**T**_he not so young teen watched the scene unfold silently. He felt a soft tug on his hand, and looked down at his little friend who looked up at him with a saddened expression on her face.

''Shisui..'' She called out quietly, her shiny green eyes shifting back to one of her best friends. ''Why are they doing this?'' At the end, a sob wrecked from her mouth and the raven haired male tightened his hold on her much smaller tiny hand. It tore him up slightly to see her in such a desperate state once again.

The first time he saw her, lying unconscious on a tree branch, all bloody and beaten up, he didn't know what to think.

At first he was weary.

As an ANBU, the possibility of her being sent here as a spy crossed his mind more than once, it was far too suspicious, considering the war that torn up the world just a few years prior. But when he and his teammates glided back to Konoha at top speed, every time his cat-like eyes trailed back at the pinkette resting on Itachi's back, he just melted.

She was like the sister he never had.

He had to admit that he was jealous of the strong sibling bond the two main Uchiha household's brothers had. Even though they were his family, cousins even, he would never match up to the connection the two have had ever since Sasuke was born.

Of course, Itachi was still his best and most trusted friend, but the little fluff of pink with the sharp canines was crawling into his heart in top rate. The young ANBU captain was slightly weary of their friendship, but soon brushed it off when he saw the way his older cousin's eyes would light up when he was with her.

Shisui took a deep breath, contemplating what to tell Sakura who looked on at the scene before her, her tightened grip on his larger hand indicating that she was getting impatient. He looked up at the marvellously colored clouds floating through, trying to rearrange his words. He crouched down on the gravel road under his feet, turning the little girl to face him.

''Listen Sakura-chan, the thing about Naruto-kun is that he's..um..'' She took a shaky lungful of air, spying out if there were any ANBUs in sight before continuing. ''Different.'' He stated lamely which earned an incredulous look from the Eucliffe girl.

''In what way?'' She asked with a flat tone.

''Err..'' Shisui stammered un-charismatically for a stereotyped Uchiha.

She wanted to nag him further on the matter but he suddenly jumped to his feet, his onyx eyes flashing to an angry red as he pulled out a kunai from his pouch. Sakura stepped back fearfully, until she noticed his sharingan eyes directed at the crowd around her classmate. Placing his mask onto his face, he motioned for the girl to stay out of sight, before marching up to the uncivilized occupants of Konoha.

He growled silently under his mask as the chubby butcher shop's owner raised his foot up to kick the poor boy, while the other civilians silently encouraged him, much to the Uchiha's dismay.

''Just what are you doing?'' His icy voice spat at the man who froze in place, before turning angrily to the one that interrupted him. He gulped audibly when he recognized the signature ANBU regalia and the stereotypical raven black hair of an Uchiha. Still, his eyes filled with rage, he pointed at Naruto who had his arms up to shield his face, ready for the incoming hit that never came.

''This little demon stole from me! I swear I saw-''

''And does that give you permission to hit a child of 8 years old?'' Shisui interrupted the enraged man as Sakura slithered behind the butcher, placing a delicate hand on the blonde. Naruto tried to flinch away, until he saw who the owner of the hand was. Shisui noticed the way the jinchuuriki's whole face brightened at the sight of his friend, causing a small smile to play onto the teen's lips as the disgusting man stuttered a response.

''That will be all, Takahashi-san.'' He dismissed the man who gapped at him, storming off angrily with the rest of the group. Shisui sighed at the delusional adults before turning his attention back at the two little kids.

''Are you okay, Naruto?'' Sakura questioned silently as the blonde whimpered at the touch of her hand running over his spiky hair that reminded her so much of her most likely deceased brother. He shifted his gaze away from one of his only friends, raising his hand up to cover his lightly bruised cheek. Sakura gasped lightly at the wound before her snake like eyes flashed like rough emerald, before the spark quickly distinguished.

''C'mon, we got to bandage that up for you.''

''It's alright, Sakura-chan''

''It's not, don't be so stubborn!''

''Sakura-chan rea-''

''You'd better listen to her, Naruto-kun.'' Shisui interrupted with a light tone. ''Otherwise she'll drag you through the dirt.'' He gave a wink at the suddenly frightened boy as he removed his mask. Sakura gave the blonde a cheerful smile, which seemed to be forever contagious for the blonde as a small smile graced his lips. Standing up, she held out her hand for the ramen loving male who grasped it hesitantly. She led him through the village, getting quite a few nasty looks shot their way, which were quickly wiped out due to Shisui's presence behind the duo.

''Where are we going?'' Naruto asked curiously as they entered some fancy neighborhood that he has never been to before. Living in the crappiest of regions in the whole village, he didn't particularly want to go here because these fancy shinobi living here seemed to despise him even more than some of the other villagers.

And the saddest part was he didn't have a clue as to why they hated him.

It made Sakura feel pity for the blonde yet again.

''To my place.''

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_**I**_t was like déjà vu to him when he felt the identical glares of two of his beloved girls' burn onto his forehead. The tension in his squeezed chopsticks indicated the subtle nervousness he was feeling at the moment. Inoichi frowned at this as he gazed upon their – or should he say Sakura's – sudden guest. It was like the two female blondes were blaming him for this sudden yet slightly unwelcome visit to their dinner table, again.

The people sat around in awkward silence as the meat of the hot pot continued to simmer. Gazing at his wife lovingly, who tried not to send strange looks at the blonde haired boy, he gently took the Yamanaka matriarch's hand. Ino glanced at her lovey-dovey parents with the highest distain as kept sending her two classmates stinky looks.

Sakura, with a much more handicapped Naruto due to his nervousness, waited excitedly for the hot pot to cook. The blonde haired girl raised her nose up in the sky with a light sneer, recalling the newly added nickname of hers that fit the pinkette more than Ino.

At least she didn't eat like a 'pig' as little miss forehead girl.

Ino wouldn't admit it out loud but she has come to love the other girl as her own blood. Recently, when the pink haired girl started to hang out more with the blonde prankster and Sasuke-kun's cousin, she finally started to come out of her shell. She was not the little meek girl that cried herself to sleep anymore, rather, she started to become more and more similar to the blonde loudmouth each day.

Observing the two at her dinner table, the young Yamanaka heiress bit back a small smile as the two friends continued to converse in toned down whispers, about the beef most likely.

And how did she end up as the pig in their relationship anyway?

Within a few minutes, the Yamanaka family plus their blonde guest, echoed out a quiet ''itadakimasu'' before digging in. The blonde boy hesitated for a few minutes as he waited for the household to fill up their plates, not wanting to leave a bad impression on his best friend's parents and sister. Even though the others say he was dumb as a rock, he could clearly see that the pinkette wasn't biologically apart of this family, so that made him act as politely as possible even further.

''So Naruto-kun..'' The blonde settled his startled blue eyes on the Head's face, being addressed for the first time during the whole dinner. ''How did you get that bruise?'' Inoichi questioned as he pointed at his own cheek. He noticed the boy stiffen and had a vague idea from the action. Sakura, who was trying to be the blonde's savior for the day leaned forward to the man sitting opposite of her.

''Hehe, well you s-see Inoichi-san, Naruto and I were training and..'' The pink haired dragon slayer bit the side of her cheek nervously with her abnormally sharp canine tooth, cursing herself for letting a stutter slip past her lips. ''My hand slipped and I kinda ya know-.. nailed him in the face.'' She knew that it was the lamest excuse ever but that was the only thing that came to her mind at the time. She clenched her teeth lightly when she heard a quiet giggle next to Naruto.

''You manage to hit something, forehead girl? Well that's a first.'' Sakura felt the veins on her forehead pop up and the blonde knew this was his queue to lean over as to not get caught up in the girl fight that was about to break down.

''Why you little pi-''

''Ino-chan, how many times have I told you not to provoke Sakura-chan?'' Inoichi questioned with a disapproving frown that matched his wife's, but the young girl said nothing, already used to her parents' taking her step-sister's side on these matters. ''And you little missy, how many times have I asked you to call me 'otosan'?'' That came out more like a whine which made the two blonde women to snort at the Head of the family while Naruto snickered quietly.

Sakura blushed slightly, puffing out her cheeks in determination. ''Weis-'' Her hand flew on her own accord as another name almost rolled out of her mouth. Her eyes saddened slightly and the blue eyed man noticed the uncomfortable look on his step-daughter's expression. He could easily guess what she wanted to say, much to the cluelessness of the other occupants in the living room. Inoichi and Sakura would often go to the yard of the Yamanaka household when the girl had trouble with her ninja studies – which were a lot, but she wouldn't admit that – or if Sakura was feeling too homesick.

Being the only other person excluding the Hokage that knew precisely of the young girl's true origins, he was the only one that was allowed to hear the pinkette out on her troubles. She would tell him strips of stories from her past, about the great magic filled land of Fiore with its cultures and traditions. The Yamanaka in return would tell her about the history of the Elemental Nations, gaining a few good-natured laughs when the girl would confess of her trials in History lessons.

She would also most often talk about her dearly missed 'family', if you can call it that. The blonde male still needed time to wrap his mind around the very idea of a dragon, something so much similar to the tailed beasts of their land, raising two small children like it was its own children. Even if he had seen Weisslogia – the Great white dragon in the flesh, he would never have believed in it.

So now, seeing the sorrowful glint in her cat like eyes, Inoichi just had to accept the fact that this girl was truly raised by a beast, so much similar to the beast the villagers claimed the boy sitting between the two girls was. With that in mind, the Yamanaka Head spared a warm smile at the Kyuubi child while patiently waiting for Sakura to cover up her mistake that the unknowing occupants of the room obviously noticed.

''Err.. Inoichi-otou-san..'' She tested out the syllables as if it was alien for her. Ino gave a light chuckle as she gave a mocking face to the pinkette. ''This isn't the last century forehead, no need to be so respectful to this old man.''

''Now wait just a second!'' The long haired man protested as the table erupted in fits of laughter. Mrs. Yamanaka observed the occupants of her living room with a keen eye, overlooking past her daughter to the two odd children eating away. She noticed with a slight frown that the newest edition to the family ate just like her husband at times.

She'll have to teach the girl proper table manners later.

''Naruto-kun, eat up before the food gets cold.'' She said with a kind smile. The boy looked rather thin for his age, which could be due to the lack of proper nutrition his body received. Sakura did mention before that the blonde spent his meals in that ramen stand for most of his life, making the Yamanaka matriarch slightly worried for her new daughter's health if she continued her ramen filled diet further. Those startled sapphire eyes settled on her and the woman felt uneasy when she thought up all the different scenarios as to why the boy looked so frightened of adults.

Contrary to popular beliefs, not all shinobi families despised the small boy for having the demon fox in him. A handful of clans, Yamanaka included, knew the truth about the night that occurred so many years ago. Honestly, the Ino-Shika-Cho ''alliance'' believed that the boy should be hailed as a hero and not a villain as the majority of the village treated him. So with that slight push, the wife of Yamanaka Inoichi gave a reassuring smile to the blonde.

''If you want, you can come to have dinner with us more often.'' She said.

''Really?'' The three children echoed in wonder, one of which from ridiculousness rather than excitement. The matriarch gave a slight murmur of approval and Inoichi couldn't be anymore happier. The expression on the boy's face was worth the extra minutes in the kitchen she supposed.

''Gee, thank you Oba-san!'' Naruto exclaimed as he dug in like the rest of them. She could practically feel the thankful gaze on the pinkette's face as the joyful dinner continued on without a hitch.

It really was worth it, she hoped.

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**_T_**he heated early spring air seemed to cool down as the reds and dark blues painted up the evening sky. It was a little past her bedtime but she refused to go home just yet. The evening always reminded her of the good times her brother and she would play foolish made up games such as running from their own shadows. The only sounds emitting were the gentle drops falling off a shiny waterfall a few feet away and the occasional grass pulling on Sakura's part. Her shoulders would shake with light sobs as she planted the sharp point of her kunai knife into the soils of the earth. Not a foot away, a dark haired teen lay besides her and gazed at her with subtle worry.

''Sakura-chan it's not a big deal.'' He stated the same thing for what seemed like the twentieth time. The pinkette looked at him incredulously, her sharp canines clicking together in annoyance.

''But it is Shisui!'' She protested as more tears formed in her emerald eyes. ''I'm pathetic. Why do I even keep trying..'' She muttered under her breath as her small hand sized up the dangerously sharp metal weapon. The Uchiha prodigy observed his young female companion with a sigh as he sat up, overlooking the colourful horizon.

''You'll get better at it. You didn't have to rush it.'' He said, glancing disapprovingly at the girl. ''Besides, it's not as if you're the only one that failed, Naruto-kun didn't pass too, remember?'' He reminded her, hoping it will lift up her fallen spirits. It seemed to work as she glanced guiltily at her newly acquired ninja sandals.

Today, Eucliffe Sakura tried to become a Genin.

And failed miserably.

It wasn't that she didn't study hard enough because she did. She spend most of her free time preparing for what might be her way to climbing up the ranks. But alas, the test seemed to revolve more around her physical side rather than mental. Once she stepped up that short line that a few of her classmates made, she knew she was done for when Iruka-sensei stated that they will check their ninjutsu. The clone jutsu went worse than she expected. She was surprised that they didn't tell her to quit trying to become a shinobi all together, but they said nothing as the tiny girl walked out of the classroom.

As Shisui kept repeating the same fact over and over again, her chakra seemed to be completely non-existent. It was laughable really, but Sakura knew better than anyone why she couldn't even produce a simple clone.

Her magic outshined her chakra by a mile. The amount of magical power she had was suffocating, due to it pushing out her chakra in the process. Her body was filled with it, yet her chakra reserves were almost empty because it balanced out her magic reserves. It was quite simple, but sad on her part. It would take years for her to gain enough chakra to even perform a decent more complex jutsu, and she felt ashamed.

She wanted to tell Shisui. She wanted to tell him all about her struggles, prowess and what not, but the Hokage strictly forbid her from telling anyone of her ''very unusual'' abilities. He said it was for her own safety from people who desired power, but it was unfair. Everyone kept degrading her for being a mediocre ninja, but she knew in her heart she had potential to become a great and powerful wizard.

But did these people know what a mage even was?

No, they did not, and perhaps it will become an advantage later in life. On that she placed her greatest hope in. Yet for now, she sat here on the outskirts of Konoha weeping, while her best friend tried to reassure her.

She felt hopeless.

''You'll try again in a few months, I'm sure you'll get it right by then!'' He said, confident in her not-so-great abilities.

''You're right, but you said it yourself that I-'' She quickly threw away her kunai as blood oozed from her freshly cut finger. ''Ow..'' She muttered helplessly as she observed the wound. The teenage boy, noticing her distress, quickly shot up to his knees to look over the cut. He clicked his tongue as he fetched a few band aids from his ANBU pouch.

''You know, with the amount of chakra you possess, it would be beneficial to strive as a medic ninja.'' He stated matter-of-factly as he gently wrapped the material around her bloody finger. Sakura furrowed her brows in thought at the prospect of becoming a medical ninja before snorting. She gave a light chuckled as she gazed into his face. Her merry expression slipped down her face when she noticed a troubled frown on his handsome face.

''Shisui..?'' She called out quietly, snapping the male out of his thoughts.

''Wha-oh.. I mean you have very good chakra control considering you have less chakra than most, so it would be easier for you.'' He babbled along, brushing off his former expression, making Sakura believe that she imagined it. Almost.

''Shisui-nii, is something wrong?'' She asked the older boy meekly. The said male cut off his babbles to look onto the pinkette with a thoughtful frown. Minutes passed in awkward silence as Shisui kept his quiet, contemplating if he should speak out his worries or not. The red sky mixed with the blues soon enough, and a deep purple covered the horizon as stars shined onto the two. Sakura looked truly worried about the Uchiha's unusual silence. She wanted to speak up but he beat her to it.

''Listen, Sakura-chan..''

Her eyes widened tremendously as the following words poured out of his mouth.

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_**S**_he didn't remember the last time she ran this fast before. The once clear sky was covered with dark grey clouds that released giant droplets of rain onto her person. She tried to manoeuvre around the few people stuck on the streets, determined to reach the safety of her home as fast as she could. The water drops concealed her hot fresh tears from peering eyes as she reached the Yamanaka district in time for the storm to come in full blown. Just like her jumped up emotions. Reaching the porch of the traditional Japanese eyes, she quickly slid in through the push-back door.

''I'm home..'' She muttered between her ragged breaths as she slid off her damp sandals by the actual door leading into the house. The Yamanaka house was decorated in various shades of purples always brought the sense of summer to her. She could smell her adoptive mother cooking dinner as usual in the kitchen with the faint sounds of laughter coming from the living room. She walked sluggishly through said living room, praying that Ino and her father wouldn't notice her.

But alas this day just kept getting worse and worse for her it would seem.

''Sakura-chan, what happened? You look very pale.'' Inoichi questioned as his daughter stood up in worry. The blonde girl observed her sister with a judging glint. The usual reds and blues she wore were darkened and drenched with rain, as were her tangled pink locks. Her cream colored skin was painted an unhealthy ghostly white that reminded Ino of a blank paper sheet. Her eyes trembled with unspoken tears as the strange scroll she held in her shaky hands almost fell out of her grasp. All in all, she looked traumatized.

''Sakura-chan-'' Ino began, using her real name for once, but Sakura cut her off as an obviously fake smile graced her whitened face. ''I'm fine, just exhausted. I'm not very hungry so tell okaa-san not to make me anything.'' Without another word, she dismissed herself and headed off upstairs, all the while feeling the concerned gazes on her back.

A few months ago, the Yamanakas cleaned out the dirty spare guest room to make room for her. It was a generous act on their part, considering the pink haired dragon slayer never had a space of her own. Entering the poorly lit room, Sakura didn't even bother the get the lights as her façade slipped entirely. Her shoulders shook once again in that all too familiar despair as she clenched the scroll to her fragile form. She went to her drawer and placed the mysterious rolled up parchment inside, with the shakily written kanji for 'death water' on the front. She was determined not to touch the cursed scroll for as long as she could.

When the silent clank of the drawer shutting resounded in her room, Sakura's resolves broke apart entirely. Her legs gave out under her as tears streamed down her face once more. It thundered all through the night, contributed with the not so subtle sobs and cries of the pink haired girl.

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He lost count of the number of tombstones his eyes reached that morning. The symbol of the village of Konoha decorated each and every one of them as the winds of the start of yet another May picked up, making his messy onyx locks fly around behind him. They all shared another similarity excluding the leaf symbol printed on them, and it was the three identical kanjis connected to different first names.

'_**Uchiha'**_

He usually visited this place once a year, trying and failing time and time again to move on from that fateful night that haunted him for two years now.

But this was a special occasion, after all.

He wondered what his ever strict father would say to him now, when the time has finally come for him to join the ranks of shinobi. His mother would obviously be proud of her younger son, but also a bit worried. A small smile graced his face at the memory of the Uchiha matriarch always scolding him for playing around with the kunais that belong to his-.

He bit his lip with enough force to draw out blood. Unspoken resentment pulsed through his 12 year old body in waves. Tomorrow will be another step closer to his goal, and he was anxiously waiting for it. The warm afternoon sun illuminated his person and the shadows of the tombstones seemingly rose from the ground. His dark eyes landed on a tombstone a few paces from where he stood, that seemed to be somewhat different from the rest. Maybe it was the almost withered single white rose that was placed neatly on the grave, or the fact that it was the first of the stones to be placed in the graveyard 2 years ago. He couldn't tell, nor did he care for the matter. He felt compelled to look, and with one more fleeting glance at his parents' tombstones, he walked carefully through the cemetery, as to not kick a single grave in the process.

''Ah.'' A sudden realization escaped his lips as the neatly printed name of his deceased cousin came to view. If he should take a wild guess as to who seemed to visit the once fun loving teen's grave, it would have to be the strange girl from his class. He was surprised at the prospect of the two having any relationship of the sort, as the Uchiha usually didn't converse with outsiders of their clan or if they're not for official matters. And yet he could still recall all the times he saw the two prancing around the village together joyfully, or when he caught them training together from time to time.

Honestly, Sasuke won't lie, he was sort of jealous of Eucliffe Sakura before. It felt like the unusually acting Uchiha had all the time in the world for the pink haired girl, yet his own brother didn't seem to have time for him. His brows furrowed as the thoughts of his older sibling invaded his mind as they always did.

''Sasuke?'' A silent voice called out from a few feet away and the only surviving Uchiha didn't even spare a glance at the newcomer, already recognizing the voice to know just who it was.

'Speak of the Devil and he will come.' He thought to himself silently as the footsteps stopped right beside him. His view on the tombstone was blocked by a head filled with pink strands as the pinkette knelt before Shisui's grave. Gently taking the almost dead flower from the stone, she placed a new fresh one in its place. Only then did Sasuke seem to really acknowledge her presence as he noticed the tender smile on her face.

''Sorry if I disturbed you.'' She apologized quietly and the Uchiha wondered how the usually loud-mouthed girl could stay so quiet.

''Why are you here?'' The question flowed out of his mouth on its own accord, even though he already knew the answer. Tucking his hands in his white short pockets, he gazed neutrally at the slightly older girl. She gave him a look before breaking out into another saddened smile that slightly irked the male.

''Shisui was like another brother to me.'' She stated simply as her snake like eyes landed on the cold hard rock with her best friend's name printed on it. The tone of her voice left no more room for questions and Sasuke had to wonder a little about her statement on 'another brother' before he shook his head lightly. He didn't care either way.

And yet to his utmost annoyance, he felt that he could relate to his classmate on some levels. He too missed his cousin dearly, who always wanted to steal him away from his brother so they could spend some time together, but little clueless Sasuke always pushed him away. It seemed like one of the dumbest things he did at this moment, but what's done is done he supposed.

But that doesn't mean he couldn't take his closure.

''So are you ready for the test tomorrow?'' Her voice brought him out of his dark thoughts. He looked at her, from her snake-like green eyes to the sharp canines that glinted with every word she spoke. 'What an oddball.' He thought sourly as he examined that fur trimmed vest of hers which was definitely not proper ninja attire. Sighing quietly as to not disturb the dead further, he decided to answer the pinkette anyway.

''I am.'' With a curt answer he turned around to leave. She gazed at his back as he managed a small sluggish wave of his hand for her. Looking back at the field filled with stones, she felt a pang of pity for the boy who literally lost everyone that he loved in one single night.

'Just like me.'

Turning around to catch another glimpse of the Uchiha boy, the clan's symbol on his retreating back stood out in the sun even more. Sakura clenched her fists in determination as she looked up in the warm spring sky in content, the beams of light seemingly giving her the energy to move forward. She touched the dangling earring in determination as she moved her gaze at the leaf symbol printed on the stone.

''I promise I'll keep my promise to the both of you.'' Sakura muttered silently as she cursed in her thoughts, realizing that she was slightly late for her morning sessions of (failing) practice with her male blonde idiot.

Those clones will not produce themselves right without training after all.

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**A/N: **_And that's the end of the prologue! The next chapter will finally be set in the Naruto timeline. And once more, I am truly sorry if the timeline is sort of awkward because there might be a few mistakes here and there._


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